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Alexander Hamilton's Influence On American History

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Alexander Hamilton recently rose to prominence again because of the hit Broadway musical Hamilton, and the book Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow. Previously Hamilton’s role as Founding Father has been diminished because he never became president, and he also experienced political scandals that were detrimental to his career. However, his lack of prominence as a Founding Father, has not weakened his actual impact on United States history and political system. Alexander Hamilton had an immense impact on American history, through both obvious and subtle means, that have resulted in the government and political system we have today. Some obvious contributions that he made to the current political system, include the position of Secretary of Treasury, which set precedent, along with his establishment of a national bank. Earlier than that, he was instrumental in the creation of the Constitution as we know it today, and also helped the Constitution pass in various states. Some more subtle ways that he has influenced American history include his contributions to the party system, as well as his role in getting Thomas Jefferson elected as the third president of the United States. Part of the reason that Hamilton is not remembered as well as other Founding Fathers, is that he does not fit nicely into any political boxes, or schools of thought. As an immigrant from the Caribbean, he was a poster boy for the ‘American Dream’, and his humble …show more content…

He was known for his temper, and was very controversial, even amongst his own party. Hamilton married and had multiple children, but he also had an affair with another woman during his marriage. Further, his son died in a duel defending his honor, and later Hamilton was killed in duel by Aaron Burr. Hamilton is a reminder that even the geniuses and Founding Fathers were flawed, and they still managed to found arguably one of the strongest countries

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